Salads and Salad Dressings

Posted by: Curt | Under: General Fitness | (0) Comments

One of the first things that people do when they go on a diet after the first of the year is start eating salads instead of full meals. The problem is that many salads- especially at restaurants are worse than eating a Big Mac. That’s because they are usually loaded with croutons, cheese, bacon and high fat dressings. So be really careful about salads. They can be great for you but you are better off going to a place with a salad bar where you can make your own or make them at home. There are thousands of recipes available on the web, so get creative. Adding some grilled chicken or tuna is a great way to get a balanced meal in a salad.

Now a word about dressings- skip the creamy dressings like ranch, creamy Italian and Thousand Island. They contain a lot of saturated fat that is obviuolsy bad for your diet. Stick to oil based dressings like Italian and Vinaigrette made with olive oil and tasty seasonings. These dressing have the “good” kind of fat that is healthier for you. Plus, you body needs some fat to absorb and metabolize vitamins and nutrients. So don’t be afraid of oil based dressings, just read the label and make sure you are getting the good stuff. FYI, my favorites are Newman’s Own dressings. Great taste, healthy and the profits go to charity. Can’t beat that.